Tigers' Brazell returns to roots at Seibu Dome

by John E. Gibson (Jun 10, 2010)

A couple of bad pitches helped end Craig Brazell's stint with the
Seibu Lions two years ago, but the slugger is back in the swing with the
Hanshin Tigers.

Brazell got hit on the right shoulder in the middle of the '08 season
and was plunked in the head in game 130. The first one knocked him off
his game, the latter caused post-concussion syndrome and knocked him out
for the rest of season.

"I was done after that," Brazell said Wednesday before the Tigers
played the Lions in interleague action at Seibu Dome. "I was dizzy, I
couldn't see. I couldn't even sleep--maybe an hour or two a night.

"I had blood in my ears and it was definitely a tough thing for me at
the end of the year."

And the Lions made it even tougher on the 30-year-old,
unceremoniously releasing him after he had hit 27 home runs and had 87
RBIs.

"It was goodbye. For me, it was like "Whoa, that's kind of
shocking,'" said Brazell, who had helped supply power to a hard-hitting
lineup that won the Pacific League title and eventually the Japan
Series.

"I think I proved that when I was healthy, I was putting up numbers
and had started to adjust. But I never got the opportunity to heal and
get back to where I could when I was here."

The left-handed hitter ended up in indy ball in Minnesota last year
before making his return to Japan last June 5 with the Tigers. He caught
the tail end of interleague and belted a homer here against the Lions
on June 11.

He said returning to Seibu Dome is "bittersweet."

"I love the fans here. I mean, I've got some good memories. I spent a
year here so you get somewhat comfortable in a situation," said
Brazell, who made a point to give Lions skipper Hisanobu Watanabe and
team official Kosuke Maeda a bow before Wednesday's game.

"I'm happy where I'm at now, and I think things have worked out for
the best," said the Alabama-born Brazell, batting .292 with 17 homers in
55 games.

His production has the Tigers digging their claws firmly into a
playoff spot at second place in the Central League, and Brazell likes
what he sees from top to bottom.

"We've got a good team here. We can hit, we can pitch and we have a
lot of fun on this team," he said.

"Everybody's just so relaxed and we're having a good time doing what
we're doing here. And that's a definite reflection of the coaching
staff."

Skipper Akinobu Mayumi gets a lot of credit for that, but the Tigers
added some pieces in the form of Matt Murton, hitting .348, and Kenji
Jojima, who is tied with Brazell for the team lead in RBIs with 38,
helping to make it a happy locker room.

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Yano's future in doubt

Hanshin catcher Akihiro Yano was deactivated on Wednesday, and might
be facing retirement.

Yano, the catcher before the Tigers picked up former Seattle Mariners
backstop Kenji Jojima in the offseason, had elbow surgery two years ago
but is still experiencing pain that hinders his throwing.

In other Japanese baseball news:

-- The iconic Katsuya Nomura, who last year skippered the Tohoku
Rakuten Eagles to their first playoff appearance, has reportedly been
discharged after spending a month in the hospital.